Trion is doing an excellent job with adding content to Rift. Anyone that think Rift will go free to play in the near future is sorely mistaken. I also used to want to believe that, but it's not gonna happen.
Like Floyd_99 said, play WoW 20 levels and then Rift 20 levels for free. See for yourself.
A lot of disappointed people have also left SW:TOR and re-subbed to Rift.